Wimbledon star Pedro Martinez serves 57mph slower than Jannik Sinner during awkward tie

Wimbledon underdog Pedro Martinez was dealt a tough hand during his Centre Court clash with Jannik Sinner on Saturday. As if taking on the top seed was not a daunting enough challenge already, Martinez did so while battling a crippling shoulder issue which significantly restricted his service motion.

Viewers did not need to be particularly well-versed in the technical aspects of professional tennis to realise that something was off with the Spaniard. He was being trounced by Sinner in the first set and was forced to call a medical time-out at 5-0 down, during which a physio came onto the court and tended to his injured shoulder.

Prior to that, Martinez was producing average first serves in the low-nineties with Sinner at the 120mph mark. Martinez's slowest serve flashed up at 76mph - an almost unheard of figure in a top-level men's match - while Sinner's fastest was a staggering 57mph faster at 133mph.

"It's pretty clear from watching that it hurts when he lifts his shoulder," said John McEnroe on commentary duty for the BBC. "Down below he seems fine. But if he keeps serving at 90 miles an hour it's going to be hard to hold."

Straight after the medical time-out, Martinez defied the odds by coming out and holding serve to love. There was a fist-pump from the 28-year-old and a huge cheer from Centre Court as commentator Andrew Castle added: "Well, he's softened up Sinner into thinking he's injured!

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"It's rope-a-dope, it's Muhammad Ali. He's going to come out fighting. That medical time-out may get us to half an hour for the first set." And the clock had ticked onto 31 minutes by the time Sinner saw it out 6-1.

Martinez boasts an ATP Tour title from the Chile Open in 2022, he has been in the third round at three of the four Grand Slams, and he has been ranked as high as 38th in the world.

The Spanish star kicked off this year's Wimbledon campaign by upsetting the home fans with a win over British hopeful George Loffhagen. And he kept the ball rolling with a straight-sets victory over Mariano Navone in round two, setting up his meeting with the world No.1.

Martinez also had a strong showing at the All England Club in 2021, when he defeated Gael Monfils en route to a third-round defeat.